Tuesday May 22 2012
History Archive
Village History
History and horticulture
Posted on April 21 2010 at 1:16:06 0 comments
Did you know that Oliver Cromwell supports the National Garden Scheme? OK, perhaps it’s a little stretch of the imagination, but there is a link between Oliver Cromwell and the NGS in Worcestershire, despite the 350-year gap, writes David Morgan.
The link is Seechem Manor in Rowney Green, which was once owned by Colonel Thomas Millward who served in Cromwell’s army in the 1650s. The current owners, the Sethias, have decided to open the gardens to the public under the NGS for the first time this June, and they promise that visitors will be made most welcome regardless of whether or not they have Royalist sympathies!
The house, which is not open to the public, is full of history, dating back to 1482. Having suffered two major fires in the 1690s, it was significantly renovated before the 18th century. It was originally known as Seechem Farm and it was said that Henry VIII stayed there for at least one night.
The garden, as it is today, is a more recent development, having been created over the past 15 years by Nicky Sethia. Nicky moved from Birmingham to Seechem with her husband because they wanted to bring up their four children in a rural setting. The garden occupies approximately three acres of the total 18 acres that surround the house.
Nicky says that the creation of the garden has been a gradual process, and is always ongoing. It has evolved rather than being planned, and it started with the removal of a number of rotten trees, most of which were falling down, although the family were keen to preserve the viable ones, mostly fruit trees. The old varieties of apple trees and pear trees were preserved and are still used today to make cider and perry.
Since then, the Sethias have added two ponds linked together with a small stream in a pebbled area, a rose walk, and a vegetable garden. There is also a new rockery, which in reality started life as a pile of soil created after new footings had been dug for a cottage in the grounds. Nicky was told that she could either move the soil herself or create a rockery – and the rockery won!
There is also lots of grass – well, it’s an essential with four children – but also lots of nature. The family have chickens, ducks and geese, plus plenty of wildlife in a pond they created at the end of their drive.
But there is also the uninvited, and to a large extent unwelcome, wildlife such as squirrels, rabbits, moles and even badgers, who apparently have an insatiable appetite for tulip bulbs. However, the family are trying to cope with their intrusions as they want to allow the wildlife to cohabit with them – if only the badgers would change their taste and nibble weeds instead…
Nicky wanted to open for the NGS as the charity raises funds for a number of organisations that support cancer sufferers and their families. Nicky lost her best friend to the disease, and Peter, who assists with the land management, also lost his brother to cancer.
Nicky and her husband are looking forward to opening, but their biggest worry – shared by many NGS garden owners – is the possibility of bad weather on the day of their opening. Come rain or shine, Seechem’s garden will be open on June 12 and 13 between 11 am and 6 pm. Entrance is £3, and access to the property is via Radford Road from the village.
This is a wonderful opportunity for all garden lovers and people interested in history to see the grounds and trace the link back to Oliver Cromwell’s army.
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